Reflexology in Barcelona: About us

When you ask Benedicte Talliard where she is from, the answer gets a little bit complicated. Born in Senegal to French parents, she grew up in both America and Australia. With such a unique, multicultural background, she found it easy to continue her travels and live in many countries such as Vietnam, New Caledonia, France, and Germany before finally settling in Barcelona, Spain.

But while defining "home" may have been a challenge for Benedicte at times in her life, identifying her talents was not.

Living in so many countries provided her the opportunity to understand and adapt to multiple cultures and languages, and she was able to hone her skill and develop it into a business. "My education is in cross-cultural communication and interpretation. My language service is called Benedicte Taillard. I work with both businesses and individuals in offering language classes, translations and interpretation, recruitment, and conduct seminars on cross-cultural communication."

However, being gifted in communication wasn't Benedicte's only talent.

From a young age, she felt a special connection to her sense of touch. "I've always felt that my hands were especially sensitive. For example, I would play the piano and feel the cords vibrate through my finger. Or, I would collect stones and wood pieces for their soothing feel, and I would ease people´s discomforts when foot massaging them."

But later, during a time in her life when she needed to ease her own physical ailments, Benedicte's unique abilities took on a whole new importance and meaning. She became even more interested in natural therapies, and and was shown specific reflexology techniques to alleviate her condition. This, coupled with a more natural lifestyle, diet, and exercise, was the key to her recovery and, ultimately, a new passion and career. "I looked for the best reflexology school and found it in Florida-- The International Institute of Reflexology. Unfortunately, I could not manage the program with both work and children. However, soon after, I found that the school also had a branch in Toulouse, France, just three hours from Barcelona. Even more amazing, I discovered that the director was a friend of mine from back when I was 20 years old and living in New Caledonia! I took this as a definite sign. I joined the program, studied, and graduated from it."

After graduation, Benedicte founded Barcelona Reflexologia, where she works as a foot and hand reflexologist at her downtown practice. She also makes house visits and volunteers with various health associations (as in oncology, and with Parkinson disease).

In her work, she uses pressure techniques on specific reflex points on both the feet and hands, which are connected to the body´s organs and tissues. This produces a neurochemical response, which stimulates all physiological functions and provides a natural way to allow the body and mind to find their own balance or homeostasis. From her own personal experiences, Benedicte believes everyone can benefit from this most natural of therapies. "

Reflexology is for anyone who seeks the benefits of a natural, non invasive, holistic therapy--whether to help treat a common ailment or a severe condition, physical or mental," she explains. "People visit me for colds, head or back aches, ear infections, as well as for chemotherapy side-effects, depression, and post-operatory recovery.

Reflexology is also for anyone who doesn´t seek traditional therapy because today, no one is free from contamination effects (from what we eat, drink, breathe or touch), and everyone suffers from stress, which is a major cause of all illnesses. One of the first benefits of reflexology is that it provides immediate and total relaxation. So aside from being an excellent complementary therapy, reflexology is also preventive."

Benedicte says that one the best part of her work is that it allows people to discover their own potential for recovery and balance "I show the people who visit me basic self-help techniques so that anyone can become his or her own health decisionner when it comes to reflexology."

Through reflexology, Benedicte has been able to merge both her skill sets. She finds that being able to communicate with her clients in Spanish, English, French and also somewhat in Catalan and German provides additional benefit to them. "Reflexology is an extension of communication," she explains. "People who visit open up and free themselves from their pain. There often is a great deal of verbal communication and listening before the treatment and before the power of therapeutic touch conveys more body listening, empathy, comprehension, and vital energy." She has also been able to use join communication and reflexology skills in scholarly achievements. "I was trusted with the translation of several reflexology best sellers to French and Spanish. I was also trusted to represent the International Institute of Reflexology here in Spain, where we train and graduate students in the same programs as at the original Florida school."

Another part of Benedicte´s work is to further develop awareness of Reflexology as a health tool. " One of my goals is to promote reflexology in Spain, so that everyone may know and benefit from it. This I do by proposing small information conferences, free “discovery” sessions in natural health stores and centers, offering volunteer work, translating reflexology works, being on the Internet and social media sites such as Facebook wherever possible, etc... But more particularly, by teaming up with medical doctors and other health practitioners in health centers, associations, and hospitals: Benedicte has recently co-founded Reflexologia Asociación, the objective of which is the development of reflexology as a complementary therapy within integrative medecine.

In the end, when asked what she considers her greatest achievement to be, Benedicte says: “ Rather than mine, I have the renewed satisfaction of witnessing the person´s own achievement as they start enjoying their bettered condition and realise it is from their own – body and mind - doing, through reflexology.

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An interview with Reflexologist Benedicte Taillard by MumAbroad - MumAbroad.com (April 2010)Benedicte is a highly trained and experienced reflexologist for both adults and children.

What is reflexology?Reflexology is a natural, non-invasive, harmless complementary therapy,where the therapist manually and digitally applies systematic pressure toreflex points on the feet and hands impacting and helping the body'smultiple mechanisms to perform their roles and to achieve a homeostaticbalance.

What are the benefits of reflexology?Reflexology helps to relieve from stress, and to release toxins from thebody. It improves circulation, and reduces pain. It may help many healthproblems to decrease. However, every person being a world of his own,reflexology cannot be a promise to cure an illness. In fact, reflexologydoes not treat a problem in particular, but rather, it helps in achievingan homeostatic balance: a state of health and well-being.

How does it work?There are more than 7000 nerve terminations in our feet, connecting to allof our body's systems, organs and tissues. By applying pressure techniquesto these reflex areas and specific points, the reflexologist actuallystimulates them to have them do their natural work towards balance, orhealth.

What are its origins?Archeological evidence in Egypt and China trace back the use of reflexologyas a natural medical tool to over 5000 years. It has since then beenrediscovered and used time and again all over the world. At the end of the19th Century, an American physical therapist by the name of Eunice Ingham,working with Dr. Shelby Riley, and Dr. W. H. Fitzgerald, actively studied,and chartered reflexology making it accessible and revealing its therapeuticvalues to the western world and its medical communities. Eunice Inghamthrough her worldwide lectures, her books, and her International Instituteof Reflexology, today headed by her nephew Dwight Byers, contributed to today'swidespread use of reflexology in our world's modern medicine to the extentthat she is known as the "Mother" of Reflexology..

Is it true to say that reflexology does not 'treat' symptoms as such butlooks for the cause?Absolutely. Reflexology is a holistic therapy that considers the person as awhole: body, mind and spirit, and encourages their balance with theirenvironment. Unlike conventional medicine where you will be given anaspirin to do away with a headache that may be due to stress althoughaspirin will not cure stress, the basis of reflexology as with otherholistic therapies is to treat the root cause of the misbalance, or illness.It is important however to underline that, reflexology is not, and shouldnot be seen as, a substitute for a medical treatment but works as acomplement to such treatment

What prompted you to become a reflexologist?I have always believed in the soothing and often healing power of touch. AndI have also always felt my hands to be particularly sensitive, maybe even"intuitive" so to speak. Until one day I realized that, as with everything,there had to be a reason, and understood that I was meant to use them tothe possible benefit of others. (I was myself not well and was given reflexology, and other therapeutic touch therapies, for the first time, and remember not having been at all surprised by its very positive effects. Naturally! I altogether cured from my distresses.)This prompted me to look into touch therapies, particularly reflexology as a professional activity. And I studied it. From then on, reflexology, more than an activity, Really became a new more natural, sounder way of life, which came together with the fulfillment of knowing that I was doing what I was meant to do.

How is the practice of reflexology regulated?To this day, there is no regulation of the practice of reflexology, inSpain, Catalonia or elsewhere. In 2007, the Generalitat did pass aregulatory decree on the most commonly used natural therapies - among whichreflexology - but under the pressure of various medical andphysiotherapists´ associations interested in maintaining their privileges,the decree was annulled. However, the European Forum for Complementary andAlternative Medicine (EFCAM), part of the European Public Health Alliance(EPHA), and RIEN association are currently working to promote regulatedintegrated healthcare - and reflexology - in Europe, on the basis of PaulLannoye´s 1995 report. EDIREFLEX, nationwide reflexology association basedin Barcelona, adheres to RIEN. It is thus very important for natural therapy users to verify that their therapists are fully trained and experienced in their field.

With which type of childhood conditions is reflexology most appropriate?The professional reflexologist adapts a specific treatment protocol to eachperson, for each condition, with every visit, naturally working in harmonywith the person to help reach a general balance, and thus remove or reduceany possible underlying condition. This makes it a suitable therapy foralmost anyone, regardless of age or condition. Again, reflexology isharmless and non-invasive: babies and children benefit from reflexology asmuch as do adults, and senior people.

Is reflexology used for both physical and emotional conditions?Absolutely. The professional reflexologist is trained to take a full medicalhistory by asking relevant, but searching, questions which could reveal anycondition in the person's physical or emotional aspects.

What is the most common condition among children you see in Barcelona?Children seem to be increasingly suffering from nose-ear and throatailments, and allergies. Many parents also seem to be concerned withhyperactivity affecting their child. I also frequently show parents how togently do reflexology massages to their colicky babies.

Some believe that reflexology can be more effective when used on childrenthan adults - why is this?I would not say that reflexology is more effective on children, but ratherthat children are particularly responsive to reflexology. There are twopossible reasons: first, children have not yet experienced the difficultiesof life, so they carry less emotional baggage than grown-ups. Second, theirconditions can only be fairly new, thus less resistant to treatment.

From what age can a child benefit from reflexology?As previously said, there is no age limit in reflexology.

Do parents often come to see you after conventional medical care has failedto help cure a child's condition?I often have parents visiting for help with children who seem to betemporarily difficult, and who are seeking a natural way to help theirchildren with their stress or excitement.Parents also have their children visit for preventive reasons, afterrecurrent ear infections, or chronic allergies for example.But I always stress the importance of visiting a doctor or pediatrician ifthe family has not seen or is not seeing one, and that a reflexologist isnot a doctor, and can not diagnose nor prescribe. I explain that reflexologyis a complementary therapy.

Can reflexology be used in tandem with conventional medicine to cure acondition?Reflexology works very well with conventional medicine,psychological treatments, as well as with other natural therapies (plants,acupuncture, quiro, physiotherapy, etc...)

Are you concerned that treating potentially serious illnesses withreflexology, which has no proven efficacy, could delay the seeking ofappropriate medical treatment?The use of reflexology in our Western medicine is fairly recent: even ifstill very small, there is a growing number of studies that reveal itsefficacy in various ailments, and research is constantly being developed.However and again, I would always immediately refer a person to a doctor ifhe is not seeing one, particularly in case of a potentially serious illness.

If a child is suffering from say, asthma, how do you go about assessinghis/her needs?Although reflexology does not treat any specific problem, the professionalreflexologist sets up a holistic treatment protocol for each visit,focusing it on addressing the specific needs , as well as any possible needs of the personat that time. In case of asthma, the protocol would include treating asthmaas a debilitating symptom (chest, lungs and bronchi, adrenals, ileocecal valve,diaphragm...), as well as its possible root causes, which may be nervousness or anemotional condition. A professional reflexologist has received a holistic training, whichincludes anatomy, physiology, pathology, and has learned to take fullmedical histories as well as to make searching questions that may lead tothe possible causes for illness or ill-being.

Talk us through a typical reflexology session?There is no typical reflexology session, because there is no typical person.Childrens´sessions are usually shorter and more frequent than for adults. Afew minutes every day for babies, from 15 to 30 minutes for children, everyday or up to every 4-6 days, depending on each person and on the pathology. Grown-ups sessions may take from 45 minutes to an hour and a half. May beevery day, every week, or every month. In any case, the reflexologist takes time to meet the patient and adapt to his communication style and comfort needs. He will always take medicalhistory and thoroughly listen to the person for any non medical informationand will note anything he feels is relevant. Then he will draw hisprotocol. He will comfortably install the person in a reclining reflexologychair, after having asked him to take his shoes and socks off, and willcreate a relaxing atmosphere (soft music, dim lights, warm blanket...). Hewill "read" the feet for additional information (remember: the whole personis reflected in the feet. Experienced reflexologists can learn a lot aboutthe person and his ailments through them). He will always explainreflexology, and how he works, to any new patient. He will apply a fewrelaxing techniques to the feet to put them into condition before startingthe treatment. And he will look for reactions from the patient duringtreatment, and will note any relevant information on the patient's chart. Hewill end the treatment with relaxing techniques..The patient by that timemay have fallen asleep...

How many sessions does a child need before he/she is 'cured'?There is no typical response time in children or in adults, because everyoneis different. The response may be immediate, or take 3, or 5, or more sessions.If a parent reading this is concerned about their child in any way, at whatstage would you advise them to come to see you?The sooner a treatment starts, the better: it always takes a person moreefforts to fight a condition if it is long-existing.

Would you recommend a session of reflexology for stressed-out parents?!I would definitely recommend a session for stressed-out parents, for theirbenefit as for the family's as a whole: Stress as well as calmness easily spreads to others.

How can people find you?Appointments can be made Mondays to Saturdays on tel : 654 53 85 06 - mail :b.taillard@yahoo.es I hold 2 clinics in Barcelona in Calle Tuset close to Diagonal, and in Calle Diputacio close to metro Rocafort. My web pages are www.barcelonareflexologia.com and www.reflexologybarcelona.com